Room, By Emma Donoghue

In the book, Room by Emma Donoghue, A nineteen-year-old girl is kidnapped by a man and is kept for 7 years in an eleven by eleven room where she is raped and then has a son. Donoghue uses conflict and characterization to demonstrate that true love generates strength to get through hard times. One important literary device Donoghue uses to prove that true love generates strength to get through hard times is conflict. In the beginning of the book, Ma is explaining to Jack how she felt when she was first kidnapped by Old Nick. She says, “You know I used to be all sad”, Jack responds, “Then I came down from Heaven and grew in your tummy” (93). The use of the word “Heaven” is used to show how Jack and all his love was a gift to Ma when she …show more content…
The first year that Ma was in Room she “tried to get out… there everything… pressed Knife against his throat” to try to get Old Nick to give her the code to Door to escape (97). Her “head ached all the time” from constantly trying to escape (94). The use of the word “ached” to describe how Ma felt suggest how tired and drained out she was from trying to get free. Ma was desperate to get out of Room to be with her friends and family. The word “ached” also shows how internal distressed and broken Ma must have felt from always putting in so much effort to go back to her normal life. This suggests that true love develops power needed to get past hard times. Ma is always caring for Jack because she loves him so much. When they escape from Room, Jack is scared of Outside, so Ma “Kisses [his] eye and holds [him] tight” so that he will feel comforted and safe (154). Then Jack says “you saved me” (154). The use of the word “saved” to describe how jack felt when his Ma was there for him suggest that he felt gratitude for his Ma’s love and support. Ma always puts Jack’s needs before hers because she cares for and loves him so dearly. The word “saved” enhances how cared for Jack felt when he was going through a hard time. This suggests that love is basically a requirement to get past difficult situations because Jack needed his Ma’s love and care in order to feel safe in Outside and not be scared. When Ma and Jack go back to Room to say good bye a lot of old feelings come back up. While walking in the backyard she spots the place where her first child was buried when she died. Ma says, “I don't think I can do this… my chest is thump thump thumping”, then Jack asks, “where’s the baby” (318). Ma responds, “I didn't want her to be here anymore” (318). The use of the word “thumping” to describe Ma’s heart suggests that she is very sad and